Album Review: Various/Oneman - Fabriclive 64

There's a literary cliché that sees a middle-aged couple wistfully reminiscing over travels past, sighing, “Ah, Paris…” I do that thinking about Fabric, having had the good fortune of cutting my clubbing teeth at the London institution. Since those halcyon nights the cavernous superclub has only grown in stature and reputation, largely thanks to forward-thinking DJ bookings and a consistently excellent mix series. The latest release, Fabriclive 64, sees renowned Rinse FM DJ Oneman giving a lesson on precision mixing and peerless selection in UK bass.

Given the ill-defined and constantly mutating nature of UK bass, compiling a release as a snapshot of the genre is an exercise in premature aging. Oneman circumvents this, as he has done to repeated acclaim in his radio and club gigs, by melding old school garage and 2-step with the cutting edge. And with great aplomb, too – once the low-end drone of Mark Pritchard's ? is punched out by the snares of Night Hunter by Fis-T, the pace is without relent for the following 60 minutes.

Given there are 24 tracks crammed in that time, it's safe to say the mixing is breathless, to occasional monotonous effect. The music lacks the more obvious build and release structure of most genres, though there are plenty of shut-up-and-dance standouts, like the claustrophobic Salsa from Doubleheart, or the thumping club-ready four-four of Boddika's Soul What VIP. Depending on the ability of your soundsystem to deliver toe-tickling bass, the impact of the set can be muted. But for anyone seeking a thorough rundown of a burgeoning sound, this is a must listen.